July 18, 2014
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What my Heart Desires
To be honest, sometimes I struggle to find the balance, you know? I read the verse that talks about not piling up treasure here on earth, and while you could hardly call what I have treasure, I do like what I have.
(Matthew 6:19 - 21NLT) "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
A lot of things I love are right here on earth. Well, not so much THINGS as PEOPLE. I do enjoy my life. I enjoy the beauty of nature, working hard, and laughing with my husband. I adore my grandchildren, and love all of my family and friends. I am happy to be used by God here in Denmark. I love seeing people grow and change. I think of these things as “treasures,” but I don’t think this is what the verse means, either.
Is there some possession I have that I totally love and could not live without? Hmmm ... I do enjoy my possessions, such as they are, but they are just THINGS. I had a bottle of really nice perfume, and I dropped it on the floor. It broke. I felt bad. But — stuff happens. I like perfume. I don’t need it. As missionaries, we certainly do not have a lavish lifestyle. We rent an apartment in government subsidized housing. Our furniture and other furnishings (even most of our clothes) come from second hand shops. But life is good.
Then sometimes, I look through those glossy magazines, you know? --- The ones that show lovely homes, perfect gardens and all that, and if I am not careful, I can feel dissatisfaction trying to rise up in my heart. It can happen so easily. You can find yourself coveting something and resenting where you are and what you have. It's a dangerous place. It's a place where you take your eyes of the Lord. When I feel that happening, I remind myself that "stuff” has no eternal value. Living to accumulate nice things is a shallow dream indeed. Owning all that may be nice, but the pleasure that comes with it is fleeting, because soon you find yourself discontented and needing MORE! It is knowing Christ, really knowing Him, that is the great reward! It is living in peace and contentment of His sweet presence that truly satisfies. My heart longs to know Him more. I want others to know Him, too.
We do not need to feel guilty if we have nice things. We just need to be careful that the nice things to do have US! We need to be sure what matters above all else is the Kingdom of God. We need to remember that while this life is enjoyable, it is a mere eye blink compared to eternity. This is not all there is, but the choices we make here will prepare us for what comes after this life. We have a short time, really, to make a difference in this world.
So, where is your treasure? What holds your heart? What do you long for?
Comments (7)
Balance is a daily challenge - balance in everything.
You are so right. We need balance. If we hold eternal things the highest, no one can take that away from us. With the world on fire, Jesus is the one to cling to!
Ha! That has been my mantra for the last 2 days - "It is only stuff" as we sell everything in preparation for the big move of my mother to PA. So far we have sold a lot but she is having a hard time letting go. The things are not so valuable but they hold memories - of people and events from the past.. The memories are what is most valuable...
Boy, did your post ever capture my attention today... that first sentence... me too.
Balance... I have a tendency to envy...
but today it spoke to me in a different way... God has been trying to lead me, and as usual I still have the tendency to be stubborn in following my own way and not listening to what He is telling me... even when He is shouting. lol
Where is my treasure, what do I long for, who holds my heart? It is the Lord, and yet I still fail in trusting Him in all things, at all times.
Great post. Great word for me today.
This is a tough one for me, Pastor because I love my electronic gadgets, sitting if coffee shops, and going to Hawaii.
The true treasure is love but we need some income to live , even with simplicity .
Love
Michel
Just this morning I meditated on "balance". Sometimes it is easy to get lost in a direction, to push to hard or to expect too much of ourselves. Sometimes we just have to pull back and stop... find the balance between what we want and what we need.
Most of what we own is recycled, repaired, refurbished. We do purchase certain things new, like underwear and toothbrushes.
I find greater satisfaction in bringing something worn out back to life. Lately I have been repairing and refinishing old picture frames to use on my paintings. It takes more time and energy but the reward is knowing that I am fulfilling my duty to be more thrifty.
Lori showed me pictures the other day of your beautiful Grand children! They are perhaps your greatest treasures.